Red Bull versus Renault hostilities still simmering

Even Sebastian Vettel’ expertise and input would not have made a difference to Red Bull’s tough season in 2015, according the German’s former boss and mentor Dr Helmut Marko..

“In (terms of) car development, maybe,” conceded Marko on how Vettel might have been the difference.

“For example, we have now changed back to the brake manufacturer that he [Vettel] always wanted to have,” Red Bull chief Marko told Auto Bild.

“But with the engine problems we have, he would have been powerless too,” he insisted. “I am convinced that the car is good.”

Red Bull is therefore returning to the theme of earlier in 2015, when the energy drink company-owned team pointed the finger hard and angrily at Renault.

The situation is awkward for Red Bull in that it is reliant on Renault’s power and unable to switch to the engines of its arch rivals Mercedes and Ferrari. And even Renault is now threatening to pull out of F1 altogether.

“In that case we would have to get out (too) and sue Renault,” Marko charged.

Meanwhile the Austrian insists, Vettel is now charging for the title wearing red, “Sebastian is not gloating about our situation He is just happy that he is now having his success with Ferrari.”